Motor-vehicle suspension.



K. GRITTENDEN.

MOTOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION. APPLICATION IILBD JULY 12,1910.

1,046,273. Patented Dec.3,1 912.

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Kr GRITTENDEN.

MOTOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1910.

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v Specification of letters Batent. Application filed July 12, 1910. Serial No. 571,550.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH CRITTEN- DEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county'of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicle Suspension, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accomp'anying drawings.

In spring suspension of an automobile chassis it is'desirable that the chassis be given full clearance over the axles while kept as close to the latter as possible and that the chassis be as short as possible with a given wheel base in order to obtain rigidity and lightness of construction. "This invention relates to automobile construction and moreparticularly to an arrangement of the rear axle and spring supporting the,

for the latter.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure-1 is a view in rear elevation, of the drive axle, spring chassis whereby full clearance is obtained and adjacent portion of the chassis of an automobile that embody features of the invention, the end portions of the axle being partially broken away and. shown in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates the rearcross bar of a chassis frame 'which is centrally supported by a hanger 2 extending obliquely upward from the upper face of the bar to which it is fastened by rivets 3 or other suitable means. The upperend of the hanger rests on the center portion of an upwardly crowned semi-elli tic spring 5 to which it is pivotally secure by clips or U-bolts 6 whose arms embrace the spring and whose bodies are pivotally secured to the hanger by a pivot pin 7 passing through a pair of lugs 8 on the upper end'of .the hanger, the U-boltsbeing preferably cou pledby a sleeve or yoke 4 which acts as a spacer 'to prevent their movement longitudinally of the spring.

The rear axle of conventional type comprising a gear casing 15 having a torsion rod 16 extending forwardly therefromto a point of connection with the chassis, and tubular arms 14' extending laterally in each direction from said casing, are provlded with forwardlyextending brackets 12 formed inwhose upper ends are pivotally attached to the members 18 by bolts 11 or the like passing through said shackles and through eyes 20 formed on the upwardly and inwardly extending heads or ends of said pivot members. The ends of the sprin are thus articulated to the axle to extend, eely under load in a direction longitudinally of the axle andto rotate upon an axis extending parallel with the axis of the axle. Upon flexure of the spring under load said spring isfree to turn upon the pivot pin 7 and also upon the shanks 17 'of the members 18 thus are lieving the spring of all lateral strain which would be put upon it if rigidly. secured against such rotation, as the chassis is forced bythe torsion rod 16 to move longitudinally relative to the axle when the spring yields.

By this method of construction the chassis is given full clearance to oscillate freely above the axle with the same liberty of movement that is given the end. spring body in an ordina vehicle. Furthermore as the end of the c assis is well within the rear axle its side members are shorter than in the usual construction andas a consequence the-construction ma be very light and at the same time be rigi The same ease; of movement is obtained as by the, side elliptic springs and rearwardly extending hangers common in automobiles, and with fewer parts'and less liability of disarrangement.

Obviously changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an automobile, the combination with a frame or chassis, ofan axle having a gear casing intermediate its ends and brake drum flanges near its ends, forwardlyi'extending brackets on the flanges provided with bearings, a semi-elli tic spring extending longitudinally of-t e axle, members'engaging tegral with the usual end flanges 13 secured upon the ends of said tubular arms.

the hearings on the brackets to turn therein upon horizontalaxes' extending longitudinally of the axle, shackles connecting said members and the ends of said spring, and a member pivotall connectin said spring intermediate its en and the c assis, having a pivotal axis extending parallel with the axes of the said members. Y

2. In an automobile, the combination with a frame or chassis, of an axle having a gear casing located back of the rear end of the chassis, a torsion rod extending forwardly from said axle to a point of connection with the-chassis, a centrally disposed hanger extendin rearwardly from the end of said chassis, brake drum flanges on the axle having forwardly extending brackets, and a semi-elliptic spring disposed in a plane parallel to and between the longitudinal vertical lane of the axle and the vertical plane of t e rear end. of the chassis, said springs being connected to said hanger by a pivot of the chassis and extending transversely s to said brackets to articulated at its en turn upon an axis parallelto the longitudia nal axis of the axle.

3. In an automobile, the combination with a frame or chassis, an axle having a gear pivot members having shanks engaging sai casing intermediate its ends and a torsion rod connecting the axle and chassis, of flanges on the ends of the axle formed'with forwardly extending brackets having bear ings at their outer ends, upwardly extendin arin to turn therein u on an axis ex tending longitudinally of t e axle and each 7 provided with an eye at its upper end, a semi-elliptic spring .in the space between the chassis and axle, a'horizontal pivot mem-. ber pivotally connecting said spring inter-. mediate its ends to the chassis in rear thereof topermit said spring toturn upon an axis parallel with the axes of the pivot members, and shackles pivotally attached to the ends of said springs and to said pivotmembers by means engaging the e es of said members whereby said spring 5 all be free to oscillate in the space between the chassis and axle.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature 50 in presence 0 two' witnesses. I

KENNETH CRITTENDEN.

Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, ()i'ro F. BARTHEL. 

